These numbers show how the industry ranks in total campaign giving as compared to more
than 80 other industries. Rankings are shown only for industries (such as the Automotive industry)
-- not for widely encompassing "sectors" (such as Transportation) or more detailed "categories"
(like car dealers).

METHODOLOGY: The numbers on this page are based on contributions from donors (individuals as well as
corporations and unions that give directly from their treasuries) to outside groups and from PACs
(including super PACs) and individuals giving more than $200 to candidates and party committees.
Donations to Democrats, Donations to Republicans, and the associated percentages are based solely on
contributions to candidates and parties. Independent expenditures and electioneering communications
are not reflected in the breakdown by party. While election cycles are shown in charts as 1996, 1998,
2000 etc. they actually represent two-year periods. For example, the 2002 election cycle runs from
January 1, 2001 to December 31, 2002.

Data for the current election cycle were released by the Federal Election Commission on Tuesday, May 16, 2017.

NOTE: Soft money contributions to the national parties were not publicly
disclosed until the 1991-92 election cycle, and were banned by the
Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act following the 2002 elections. Contributions
to Outside Spending groups legalized by the 2010 Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission Supreme Court decision
are listed in the "Soft/Outside Money" column as are donations of "Levin" funds to state and local party committees. Levin funds were created by the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002.

Feel free to distribute or cite this material, but please credit the Center for Responsive Politics.

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